Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

aloft

/əˈlɔft/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.08 in modern English

Syllables: aloft
IPA: /əˈlɔft/

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

At, to, or in the air or sky.

adv

Above, overhead, in a high place; up.

adv

In the top, at the masthead, or on the higher yards or rigging.

Example Sentences

"high winds aloft"
"Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft: And then enter Saturninus and his followers at one dore, and Baſsianus and his followers, vvith Drummes and Trumpets."
"Someone's turned the chest out alow and aloft."
"He noticed that he still held the knife aloft and brought his arm down, replacing the blade in the sheath."
"Lewis Cook held the trophy aloft after becoming the first England captain to lead his country to victory in a major global final since Sir Bobby Moore. A white sea of confetti slowly filled the pitch, with each England player taking hold of the trophy on the stage swiftly erected in Suwon to kick-start the celebrations."
"I think you said something concerning the manner in which yonder ship has anchored, and of the condition they keep things alow and aloft?"

Etymology

From Old Norse á lopti (“in the sky”); equivalent to a- + loft.

Origin

Source language: Old Norse

Word Breakdown

Prefix: a
Root: á lopti

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /əˈlɔft/
British English: /əˈlɒft/

Inflected Forms

more aloft (comparative) most aloft (superlative)

Phrases

come aloft gone aloft stitch aloft take aloft

Frequently Paired Words

loft lofty alow

Rhymes With

microsoft loft oft croft coughed scoffed soft waft toft

Questions

How do you pronounce aloft?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈlɔft/.
What does aloft mean?: At, to, or in the air or sky.
Where does aloft come from?: It is traced to Old Norse.

How to pronounce aloft

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “aloft”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈlɔft/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “aloft”.
Repeat and practice — Say “aloft” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.